What You Need To Know About Depression

When you are suffering from depression, your relationships with others as well as work performance is affected. To save you from this misery, North Chelmsford depression specialists provide integrative therapies. Don’t allow depression to hinder you from living your life fully.

What is depression?

Depression is a disorder that often results in hopelessness, great sadness, impaired decision-making, loss of motivation, and disrupted eating and sleeping. In medical terms, it is referred to as a disease. It can last for months or years. Depression is classified as primary or moderate, depending on the symptoms. It can also lead to suicide.

How is depression treated?

Depression is among the more easily treated mental disorders. Before treatment and diagnosis, a health professional conducts a diagnostic evaluation via an interview where presenting concerns, personal medical history, upbringing, and family history information are gathered. A blood test is also done sometimes to ensure depression does not occur because of a medical condition like a vitamin deficiency or thyroid problem. Evaluations identify symptoms and explore family histories and environmental factors to plan a course of action.

Medication: Brain problems can cause depression. The medications used are not sedatives or tranquillisers, but antidepressant medications which don’t have stimulating effects.

Antidepressants often produce improvement within the first few weeks of use, though full benefits may not be seen for three months. It’s significant to inform your doctor if the medication doesn’t work.

Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is used alone for treating mild depression; while a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are used for more severe cases. Cognitive-behavioural therapy is effective in treating depression. CBT helps a person recognize negative thinking with the goal of adjusting thoughts and behaviours to react in a more positive or helpful way.

Psychotherapy generally involves the individual only, but can involve others since family members can help solve issues within a close relationship.

What causes depression?

The precise cause of depression is not yet known, but does involve various factors related to biology, heredity, habits of life, life events and background.

Depression may be caused after a negative or specific experience, but that’s not always the case. Most people suffer from depression without having any adverse life experiences. While the exact reason(s) behind what triggers depression are not clear, chemical and hormonal imbalances, as well as brain and nutrient deficiencies, are known to contribute to the condition.

Depression complications

Suicide risk: Depression leads to suicide; about 70% of people that die by suicide struggled with a form of depression. Thoughts of suicide are just one of symptom of depression, with affected people believing suicide will end the sufferings they find unbearable.

The repetitive symptoms: They occur when cases of depression are not fully cured and where signs of depression persist even after depressive episodes.

Addiction: Depression can lead a person to become dependent on alcohol and substance use.

If you are having symptoms or suffering from depression, you do not have to wait until it leads to suicidal thoughts. Seek immediate help from a psychiatrist or a doctor to avoid harming yourself. Great Lowell Psychiatric Associates offers treatment options to help women and men overcome depression.  Please book an appointment with them today to receive proper treatment.